Blade dispensing package



Dec. 16, 1952 J. MURO$ BLADE DISPENSING PACKAGE 2 SHEETS -SHEET 1 Filed Dec. 5, 1947 Dec. 16, 1952 I J. MUROS 2,621,781

BLADE DISPENSING PACKAGE Filed Dec. 5, 1947 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 Patented Dec. 16, 1952 BLADE DISPENSING PACKAGE Joseph Muros, Newtonville, Mass, assignor to The Gillette Company, a corporation of Delaware Application December 5, 1947, Serial No. 789,988

12 Claims.

1 This invention comprises a new and improved blade package for flexible sharp-edged blades such as safety razor blades.

The general object of the invention is to pro- ..vide an inexpensive package for dispensing unwrapped blades of such character as to insure the exceedingly keen shaving edge of the blade against impairment from the time it leaves the manufacturer up to the time it is selected by the user.

The invention is herein exemplified as embodied in a package of safety razor blades of a well-known commercial type, viz. longitudinally slotted, double-edged blades, although it is not limited to that or to blades of any specific shape.

In one aspect, the present invention is a solution of the problem of satisfactorily dispensing individual unwrapped blades as distinguished from blades wrapped and protected by individual packing or envelopes. The removal of a thin safety razor blade from an individual envelope is not only somewhat troublesome for the user but is likely to cause impairment of the shaving edge by accidental contact with the fold of the envelope. It also involves somedanger of cutting the user. Both these objections are obviated in accordance with my invention by arranging the unwrapped blades in longitudinally overlapping sequence on a suitable elongated carrier and securing each blade at one end to the carrier in such a manner that the blades diverge or fan out as a group and each is disposed with its free end normally spaced from the carrier and located freely in an-unobstructed position where it may be conveniently reached by the operator or engaged and withdrawn by a part of the razor.

In another aspect, the present invention consists in a blade package for blades provided with corner notches which define in each end of the blade an elongated unsharpened end portion of reduced width as compared to the body of the blade. 'In packaging such blades it is proposed to secure each blade to the carrier by strap fa tening means which straddle the reduced end portion, thus frictionally retaining the blade in position upon its carrier and having the additional function of a fulcrum for the next blade superposed above it.

A novel characteristic of such a package is that while the blades are normally fanned from the carrier and-each other with adivergent -effect, they are so thin and flexible that they may be readily and substantially flexed and flattened as a group and thus maintained in compact arrangement inthe closed package.

Another feature o'f the invention comprises a blade package having a wrapper in combination with a blade carrier of the type described, which is movablew'ith respect to the wrapper in such a manner that one blade after another is disenvergently projecting position. In other words, during the movement of the carrier the blades are selectively and progressively freed from the flexed position in which they are held by the wrapper and presented one by one in convenient position for removal from the package.

Still another feature comprises a package in which the carrier is narrower than the blades it carries and is arranged to pass through an aperture of such dimensions that the wrapper or a fold therein acts as a stop to arrest each blade in the position occupied by the blade when freed from control of the wrapper; that is to say, the movement of the carrier with the :blades is intermittently arrested when one blade has been freed from the Wrapper and further movement of the carrier is prevented-until the blade has been actually disengaged. The selective and progressive freeing of individual blades and their presentation in convenient position for removal is effected automatically and as the blade carrier is moved longitudinally by the user. Preferably and as herein shown, a portion of the blade carrier projects initially through the perforation in the wrapper. It may be thus grasped and conveniently moved by the user when he requires a fresh blade for his razor.

These and other features of the invention will be best understood and appreciated from the following description of two preferred embodiments thereof selected for purposes of illustration and shown in the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. l is a view in perspective of an open package;

Fig. '2 is a corresponding view in side elevation;

Fig. 3 is a view in side elevation of the closed package;

Fig. 4 is a view in perspective of a package constitutinga second embodiment of the invention;

Figs. 5 and =6are views in perspective of the open package as seen from two different angles; and

Fig. '7 is a view in longitudinal section of the closed package.

In the embodiment .of the invention shown in Figs. l-3 the carrier is shown as an elongated rectangular strip EB and this may be of cardboard, fibre or any stiii but flexible material. Formed separately or as a part of the carrier strip l!) are end flaps H and I2 provided with cooperating tongue and slot-connecting means. These flaps constitute the Wrapper element of the package.

The blades l3 shown in the illustrated package are double-edged and each is provided with a longitudinal median slot I i having spaced enlargements designed to fit the blade-locating projections of razors in which the blades are to be used. Each blade has corner notches which define elongated unsharpened end portions l5 reduced in width as compared to the body of the blade and the outline .of these end portions is emphasized by employing notches of reentrant contour.

Each blade is individually secured to the carrier strip III by an individual staple I6 of round wire which is so shaped as to straddle the reduced end portion I of the blade and is clinched with its ends beneath the carrier strip I0. As herein shown the package includes five blades, and of these the first blade of the series lies in contact with the surface of the carrier strip Ill. The second blade of the series rests upon the staple of the first blade which thus serves as a fulcrum and holds the blade at an acute angle to the face of the carrier. The third, fourth and fifth blades of the series are correspondingly secured by individual staples I6 and each supported as on a fulcrum by the staple which secures the preceding or underlying blade to the carrier I0. Thus the free ends of the blades I3 are fanned from each other and from the carrier strip Ill. The free end of each blade extends freely and unobstructedly into space so that it can be conveniently grasped by the user and detached by being pulled out from engagement with its staple It. The latter, of course, retains its blade by frictional engagement only, although the engagement is sub stantial in character and can be relied upon to prevent displacement of any individual blade except when the latter is grasped and forcibly extracted.

The closed package is shown in Fig. 3 in which the flaps I I and I2 are represented as being folded over the blades and secured together by engagement of their respective slot and tongue, supplemented if desired by adhesive. In closing the package the blades I3 are flexed downwardly so that they now lie in contiguous relation, being themselves slightly curved and in some instances causing a slight opposite curvature to the carrier II]. Thus is provided a substantially flat compact package havin no substantial Waste space. This may be effectively sea-led against dampness in any manner well known to the industry and conveniently handled, shipped, stored and distributed as a self-contained thoroughly protected unit.

In the modified package illustrated in Figs. 4-7, a carrier is employed which is movable with respect to the wrapper and the blades are selectively and progressively freed and presented one by one in position for removal by the progressive movement of the carrier. As shown in these figures, the wrapper I'I comprises a strip of cardboard or fibre folded at both ends to form an end fiap I8 and an end flap I 9. A transverse slot is provided in the fold vertex of the flap I8. The flap I9 at the other end of the wrapper has a transverse overlying blade releasing edge 2: and this, for reasons which will be presently explained, is spaced from the slot 20 by a distance substantially equal to the length of the body of one of the blades which is to be contained in the package. The flap I 9 is held permanently in place by a binder 22 which may be of cellophane or the like.

Above the binder 22 is located a stiff tab 23. This operates as a latch to hold the flap I8 in its closed position as shown in Fig. 4. When it is desired to open the package the whole package may be flexed sufliciently to disengage the edge of the flap I8 from beneath the tab 23. The second binder 24, of cellophane or the like, may be employed to hold the tab 23 in place.

The carrier 25 comprises a flat strip of cardboard or fibre which is initially contained with- .4 in the wrapper but extends with a sliding fit through the slot 20. A series of flexible blades I3, herein shown as being also of the type already identified, are arranged in overlapping longitudinal sequence upon the carrier 25. Each of these blades is secured as before to the carrier by staples I6 which straddle the reduced unsharpened end portions I5 of the blade. Each of the blades is normally maintained in divergent relation to the carrier by resting upon the staple which attaches the next underlying blade. A separate staple is provided to serve as fulcrum for the lowermost blade of the series.

It will be observed that whereas the carrier strip II) of the package shown in Figs. 1-3 is wider than the blades carried thereby, the carrier 25 of the package shown in Figs. 4-7 is narrower than the blades I 3. Preferably and as herein shown the carrier 25 corresponds substantially in Width with the width of the unsharpened end portions I5 of the blades so that the corners of the blades project substantially beyond the ends of the slot 26. As the carrier is advanced the reduced end portion of the foremost blade may pass into the slot 20 but when this point is reached the blade is positively arrested by the engagement of its shoulders with the fold of the fiap I8 on both sides of the slot 20. Since the staples I'Ii retain the blades frictionally each blade may be stripped from beneath its staple by forcibly pulling the carrier outwardly.

When the package is closed as shown in Fig. 7 With the flap I8 latched under the tab 23, all the blades are flexed downwardly over their respective fulcrums and lie in a compact stack. Then the user desires to remove a blade, the flap I8 is disengaged from its closed position and assumes the position shown in Figs. 5 and 6. The user now pulls the carrier 25 outwardly until the rear end of the foremost blade is disengaged by the blade-releasing edge 2| of the enclosing wrapper. This occurs slightly before the shoulders of the blade engage the fold of the flap I3, with the result that movement of the carrier and the blade is temporarily arrested and practically simultaneously the blade snaps up to its divergent position for removal. The user may now conveniently withdraw it from beneath its attaching staple or by continued movement of the carrier he may free it by a stripping action. As soon as the foremost blade has been disengaged and removed the carrier is freed for further movement which will effect release of the second blade in the sequence, and so on until the whole stack is disposed of. In each case the released blade cooperates with the wrapper to arrest the movement of the carrier with a single blade in exposed position.

The exposed blade may be removed by the user in the manner he prefers, (1) pulling the blade out from its staple with his fingers, (2) stripping the blade by forcibly pulling the carrier, or (3) by hooking a part of a safety razor into this slot of the blade and detaching the blade through the medium of the razor. The released blade is positioned in favorable position for removal in any of the ways suggested.

Having thus disclosed my invention and described in detail illustrative embodiments thereof, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. A blade package comprising a wrapper having an aperture therein, an elongated carrier slidable through said aperture, and a series of safety razor blades attached to the carrier within the wrapper in longitudinally overlapping relation with their corners projecting beyond the carrier, and beyond the ends of the aperture in the wrapper whereby each blade is arrested as it is advanced to the aperture by movement of the carrier.

2. A blade package comprising a wrapper having a slot therein, a strip carrier movable with a sliding fit through the slot, and a series of safety razor blades each having an elongated unsharpened end portion reduced in width as compared to the body of the blade, said blades being frictionally attached to the carrier by their respective end portions in longitudinally overlapping relation with their corners projecting laterally beyond the side edges of the carrier.

3. A blade package comprising a wrapper having an aperture and a blade-selecting edge spaced therefrom, a strip carrier slidable in the wrapper and out through said aperture, and a series of sharp-edged flexible blades attached to the carrier in longitudinally overlapping sequence and in normally divergent relation to the carrier with their corners projecting beyond the sides of the carrier in a greater spread than the width of said aperture, the wrapper flexing downwardly. those blades within it and the said blade-selecting edge being spaced from the aperture by substantially the length of a blade body.

4. A blade package comprising a wrapper having a slot and a blade-releasing edge, in combination with a strip carrier slidable in the wrapper and out through the slot, and a series of blades disposed longitudinally upon and frictionally attached to the carrier, being wider than the slot and arranged to be successively arrested at the slot and stripped from the carrier by the continued movement thereof.

5. A blade package comprising a wrapper folded at both ends and having a slot in one fold and a blade-releasing edge at a predetermined spacing from the slot, in combination with a carrier slidable through said slot, and a series of blades attached to the carrier in overlapping sequence with their side edges projecting beyond the carrier, each blade in sequence spanning the space between the said slot and the blade-releasing edge as the carrier is moved outwardly through the slot.

6. A blade package comprising a wrapper having an underlying portion and an overhanging flap terminating in a blade-releasing edge, an elongated carrier movable in the wrapper, a series of flexible blades arranged on the carrier in overlapping sequence, and means for attaching the blades in divergent relation with respect to the face of the carrier, the said blades being confined by the overhanging flap of the wrapper and being released one by one as they are moved by the carrier to clear the blade-releasing edge of the flap.

7. A package of individual bare unwrapped blades for safety razors, comprising a flat carrier strip, a series of thin resilient blades arranged thereon in longitudinally overlapping sequence, a staple securing one end of each blade to said carrier strip in a position underlying and supporting a second blade, namely the next superposed blade of the series, at an intermediate point in its length whereby each superposed blade stands normally at an acute angle to the carrier strip and may be forcibly flexed into contact with the blade beneath it.

8. A package of individual bare unwrapped blades for safety razors, comprising an elongated carrier, a series of blades having unsharpened end portions and sharpened side edges and being arranged with their unsharpened end portions overlapping, a staple straddling one end of each blade, securing it to the carrier and underlying a second blade of the series at an intermediate point thereof thus causing each superposed blade to stand normally at an acute angle to the carrier while permitting it to be forcibly flexed into contact with the blade beneath it.

9. A package of bare blades for a safety razor, comprising a carrier strip, a series of thin resilient double edged blades each having an unsharpened end portion of reduced width, and a staple frictionally securing each blade to the carrier strip, straddling its reduced end portion and underlying the next blade above it in the series at an intermediat point in its length, the blades longitudinally overlapping each other and the superposed blades being held by the underlying staples with their unsecured ends fanned from each other while free to be flexed forcibly into contact with an underlying blade.

10. A package of the character described in claim 9 having a blade-enclosing wrapper by which the resilient blades are flexed and held compactly substantially in contact with each other.

11. A blade package comprising an elongated carrier, a series of flexible resilient blades, certain of which are arranged in longitudinal overlapping alignment, a fastening device for attaching each of the blades immediately adjacent their ends to the carrier and overlying at least a portion of each blade, the fastening device for one blade underlying at least a portion of the next blade above it at an intermediate point in the overlying blades length, the fastening devices positionin the overlapping blades normally in fanned divergent relation to each other, and a wrapper enclosing the blades and having a transverse edge out from beneath which the carrier and blades are movable, the said wrapper flexing the blades towards the face of the carrier and releasing them one-by-cne from their flexed position as they are progressively advanced beyond its said transverse edge by movement of the carrier whereby each successive blade will present its free end in unobstructed position where it may be conveniently reached for withdrawal from the package.

12. A blade package as described in claim 11 in which the fastening devices are a series of equally spaced staples each staple straddling the end portion of one blade and supporting the next overlying blade as a fulcrum at an angle to the strip.

JOSEPH MUROS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,588,923 Wells June 15, 1926 1,858,189 Laymon May 10, 1932 1,989,214 Seelman Jan. 29, 1935 1,989,516 Heppenstall Jan. 29, 1935 2,042,672 Maclean June 2, 1936 2,293,401 Muros Aug. 18, 1942 2,298,362 Gambrill Oct. 13, 1942 2,377,897 Monnet June 12, 1945 

